Getting Your Dog to Come When Called!

I, Sadie, as I am a very smart dog, (my Mom says so) I know the importance of coming when I am called. I realized early on that it was very important to come when called or I would miss a meal, but then I learned there were many other important reasons to come when Mom yelled for me.

However, I understand from listening to the elders talk around me that it is one command that has the most failure.

Why?

Dogs enjoy having fun, a hundred million things can distract us. Even a bug on a leaf can distract a dog, and they will not pay attention to their master calling them.

Oddly enough, even the best-trained dogs will ignore a call to come. I know because I have been guilty of doing that and I am considered well trained.

Mom says that it is very important to train a dog in basic commands when there are distractions present. We dogs love to do what our Moms and Dads like us to do, but sometimes an evil thing creeps in and we ignore every thing we have learned.

My Mom has learned that I am a sucker for a really good treat and when she yells COME to me I know that there is something wonderful waiting for me. No, it is not just a plain old biscuit or dog cookie; it is something wonderful like a piece of meat, cheese or a real people cookie.

Mom thinks it is important to have your dog believe the word “Come” means real fine dining along with lots of lavish praise. I have to tell you that we dogs love to be praised, there is something about loving words and lots of pets that just make us so happy.

The biggest mistake people make when teaching their dog to “Come” is that they are calling them in order to do something the dog does not like to do. Sort of like conning them into coming for a bath or to stop playing outside and be crated for the night. That’s not fair. If you do that continually we will learn that the word “come” means something bad, and we will ignore it and continue doing what we want.

So how do you make us respond eagerly? First of all, the really good treat will do it, but the most important part is allowing yourself some extra time before you do the “bad thing.” Play with us or give us a good rub and then do the nasty deed like putting us in the house or crate.

This little disruption with the treat or the pets will take away the thought that “Come,” means something bad, and we should ignore it.

However, no matter how nice we are or how well behaved we are, we sometimes are naughty and we will not “come” cause we are having too much fun. So what is a parent to do?

The most important thing is do not punish us instead when we do come back give us any old treat and some praise. Do not hit or scold us as we will begin to understand that the word “Come’ means bad things and we dogs, do not like bad things.

It may seem that it takes forever to teach us to obey good commands, but it takes only a time or two to teach us not to respond to a command that is going to make us feel bad.

We dogs love our humans and we really do love obeying your commands, but you have to understand that like children, we do once in awhile misbehave.

Please understand that we need your love, and want to obey and you taking the time to teach us to “sit, stay and come” is very important to saving our lives, when we are so busy playing that we do not realize that we are in danger.

The time you spend with us is not only important because we need your love, but by teaching us our commands, the life you save just might be ours. That's it for now.

Love

Sadie

Independent Thought

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